Planet of the apes: An apelike Robot to Explore the Moon

The Moon could soon become a robot colony of mechanical apes exploring the lunar landscape, thanks to a monkey robot designed in Germany.

The multilegged robot, developed by Germany's Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and the University of Bremen, shows the advantages of actuated multi-point-contact feet, using a suite of sensors to monitor precise movements of the foot and ankle structures.

The result is an advanced balance and locomotion system inspired by physiology, which gives the machine unusually natural movement. The robot can walk forward, backward, sideways, and diagonally, with smooth transitions.